In order to limit the spread of the Covid-19 virus, the governors of Washington and Oregon have issued orders forbidding public gatherings; those orders include funerals. One result will be that in the days ahead, people will be choosing between what’s known as Direct to Cremation and Direct to Burial.

What that means is that when the medical examiner signs off on a death certificate, the remains will be taken directly to the crematory or cemetery; there will be no viewing, no open casket services, and no group gathering to witness the burial. The remains will be immediately cremated or buried.

Herland Forest is determined to do its part, and in order to facilitate Direct to Natural Burial, we have prepared graves that are open and ready to receive remains. Our team is standing by ready to transport and inter remains; from the time that the death certificate is signed, we can have the remains safely interred in the forest within as little as six hours.

But rapid cremation or burial of the dead doesn’t address the needs of the living. To help with that, in the Herland Forest there’s a 40 acre campground adjacent to the burial park. As soon as the restrictions on gatherings are lifted, families will be able to gather for celebrations of the life of the decedent, and to affirm their commitment to life by planting the grave with a tree surrounded by flowers.

By choosing direct natural burial, people can protect the living while honoring the dead. Funerals are about the need to care for both the living and the dead, and Herland Forest is committed to doing both.

We have an online tour of some of the various direct burial locations currently available in the Herland Forest.